1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to liquid surface skimmers, and more particularly to a self-propelled, pool surface skimmer.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Outdoor pools are often contaminated by a wide array of objects such as leaves, plant debris, mown grass, dirt, algae, insects, etc. Accordingly, filtration systems are often installed in the pool to continuously circulate some of the pool water through a pump system having a filter and an entry port located near the surface. These entry ports often become clogged with debris since their entry radius is limited. Also, since debris often sinks when it becomes waterlogged, effective cleaning is limited by the size of the entry port, the number and location of the entry ports, and the strength of the intake currents produced by the filtration system pumps. In addition, the resulting complex system is not optimally adaptable to a wide range of pool geometries.
Other skimming devices have been proposed which require an operator to steer or control the skimming unit. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,340 discloses a skimming blade which deflects floating debris into the mouth of a pool filtration system. The blade must be positioned by a user at various locations in the pool to permit the entire surface area to be cleaned, thereby necessitating constant supervision and adjustment during the cleaning operation. Also, use of a manually operated skimming blade attached to a pole is both time consuming and physically demanding.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which effectively skims the surface of a body of liquid before the debris sinks.
It is a further object of the present invention to accomplish the foregoing object with a simple apparatus.
It is yet another object of the present invention to accomplish the foregoing objects regardless of pool geometry.
It is a further object of the present invention to effectively skim the entire surface of the pool.
It is another object of the present invention to accomplish the foregoing objects without the need for constant supervision and control.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the specification and drawings which follow.